Aunt Cynthia's Maine Blueberry Cake

In my husband's family it's an annual tradition to gather on July 4th to their hometown of Bath Maine to celebrate our nation’s independence AND to eat Aunt Cynthia’s delicious blueberry cake. She was kind enough to share her recipe with me before she passed. I'm publishing her recipe as written and including the minor adjustments I typically make to her original directions. 

Maine blueberries are smaller and sweeter than the ones I find here in New York State, but I've found that the recipe is delicious regardless. I love making this cake. It's easy and has the advantage of becoming more tasty with each day after baking. This gives you good reason not to eat the whole thing in one sitting. Which in my experience comes in very handy, because it's that good.

Simple, old school,  all-American ingredients.

Be sure to wash, dry and remove any stems or leaves from your blueberries.
Extra blueberries can be frozen and stored  in a resealable plastic bag for future cakes or smoothies.

Aunt Cynthia always made her cake in a rectangular pan. I like a round springform pan.
Be sure to grease and flour whichever pan you choose. If using a spingform pan be sure to wrap the
bottom with foil (they all leak) and line the pan with a parchment circle for easy removal.

I like to sprinkle the top with additional blueberries before baking.

Aunt Cynthia's Maine Blueberry Cake

Serves about 12

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

3 cups of sifted flour 
2c cups sugar                               
3 tsp. baking powder 
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/3 cup cooking oil
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups MAINE blueberries 

For the Topping:

3/4 tsp. nutmeg*
1/2c sugar

*(I like to substitute 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/4tsp nutmeg)
 (I like to have more blueberries on hand for topping)

Directions:

1. Sift dry ingredients together into a large mixing bowl.  
Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla and beat vigorously for about two minutes.  

2. Fold in with loving care 2 cups of blueberries. 
Turn batter into greased and floured 9 x 13 pan.  
(I like to use a round springform pan, but a rectangular pan works well for serving a crowd at picnics and cookouts.

3. Combine 3/4 tsp. nutmeg with 1/2 c. sugar, sprinkle over top of batter.  
Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Serve warm. 
This cake freezes well.

p.s. Mix the sugar and nutmeg topping first. Sometimes I forget to do this and it's a pain.

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